Absolutely not my fault!

Jackmydad

What I think is this. . .
I don't know about the accident. One word against another, likely to go 50 / 50 whatever actually happened.
I'm not pointing the finger, but it does occur to me that the OP has said that they are (something like) rushed and stressed etc.
If I'd had three accidents in a short period of time, it would make me look at how I was driving myself, how distracted I was and so on. and not just say "It's not my fault"

Kim_kim

gzoom wrote: »

As others have said you need to realise there is nothing special about any of us and why you should get preferential treatment to other road users.

The van driver was probably thinking the same thing, if only you had waited for a few seconds he would have been past.

Am pretty sure everyone here has been in the same situation as you describe, I encounter it 2-3 times a day.

The answer is very simple, instead of trying to beat the other road user, or claim a right of way, just relax and chill. Yes that might mean waiting for an extra 5 seconds, or even 10, but its better than getting involved in a totally avoidable and pointless accident.

Now your stressed, the van driver is likely stressed, both your insurance bills will go up, and all for the sake of trying to save a few seconds.....I doubt anyone would say thats a good outcome for either party.

Sometimes in life you need to stop, take a hard look of the situation, reflect and adapt your behaviour so it doesn't happen again. The longer you try to advocate fault in this situation the more stressed your get, put it down as a life lesson, accept 50/50, realise some people drive like twits so need to be avoided, and move on to more important things to stress over.

I do totally get what you are saying - but I wasn’t in a rush that day at all, in fact I had a bit of time to kill.
I did come to a complete halt.
He stopped too.
Then decided he’d try the gap.
My first thought was to jump out of the car as I knew he was going to hit me, but that wasn’t possible as i knew I would get crushed by the door when he hit it!
It was that flee response.

Kim_kim

Jackmydad wrote: »

What I think is this. . .
I don't know about the accident. One word against another, likely to go 50 / 50 whatever actually happened.
I'm not pointing the finger, but it does occur to me that the OP has said that they are (something like) rushed and stressed etc.
If I'd had three accidents in a short period of time, it would make me look at how I was driving myself, how distracted I was and so on. and not just say "It's not my fault"

The other two absolutely were, and I apologised immediately.

The first accident involved no other cars or people - just me.
The second was so minor it’s a t cut job.

mollycat

Kim_kim wrote: »

The other two absolutely were, and I apologised immediately.

The first accident involved no other cars or people - just me.
The second was so minor it’s a t cut job.

Oh well, that's all okay then isn't it.

I don't mean to sound unkind but, you're not listening!

I hope you stop having accidents and I genuinely wish you well.

My parting advice would be to read your 2 threads through in entirety, but try and do so this time without the "everyone is having a go at me hat on".

They're not, they're trying to help.

neilmcl

Kim_kim wrote: »

I do totally get what you are saying - but I wasn’t in a rush that day at all, in fact I had a bit of time to kill.
I did come to a complete halt.
He stopped too.
Then decided he’d try the gap.
My first thought was to jump out of the car as I knew he was going to hit me, but that wasn’t possible as i knew I would get crushed by the door when he hit it!
It was that flee response.

You still don't get it. You put yourself in that position and increased the risk of an accident with your poor observation. You should never had entered that road in the first place if it wasn't clear to do so.

suki1964

Kim Kim, no one is telling you these things to be nasty, they are seeing a pattern that you are not and are asking you to address what's going on in your life recently thats making you a careless driver

My first year of driving I had numerous scrapes and near misses, mostly because I was still a new driver and possibly not the best. Then I went for years without a thing, till the menopause , then suddenly I was driving badly again, making silly mistakes (thankfully got away with them all) and I started to become nervous about driving, avoiding motorways when I really had to and just basically avoiding all the driving I could

Ive since been to the gp about my high levels of anxiety around just about everything, Im on medication, and now Im back driving confidently and safely

I have to drive, there's no public transport , and the cost of getting a taxi to drive out this far to drive me back into town and return trip is prohibitive. I need to feel confident and be able to read the road about me, not be in the brain fog I was in, getting from A-B with no recollation of the route in-between

It really is worth being honest with yourself about how you are health wise, mentally and physically

sheramber

You assumed he would slow up so you would meet at the wider part.

He assumed you would wait and speeded up so your wait would be shorter.

Kim_kim

neilmcl wrote: »

You still don't get it. You put yourself in that position and increased the risk of an accident with your poor observation. You should never had entered that road in the first place if it wasn't clear to do so.

I do get that.
But ultimately I was completely and utterly stopped (& he stopped too), he then drove into me.

Kim_kim

sheramber wrote: »

You assumed he would slow up so you would meet at the wider part.

He assumed you would wait and speeded up so your wait would be shorter.

To a point - yes.
But we both stopped - we had to & he decided to chance the gap.

Aylesbury_Duck

What answer do you want?